Kolkata: In an attempt to shed over-dependence on Central armed forces like the CRPF, West Bengal police have decided to set up a separate squad for counter-Maoist operations in the state.
The personnel from this squad would be selected from the members of the special task force (STF) of the state police and Kolkata police.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the standing committee of the Eastern Zonal Council held here on April 26, wherein the representatives from the Union Home Ministry had told the police forces of four eastern states — West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha — to remain alert over possible Maoist activities.
A highly-placed bureaucrat in the state government, who did not wish to be named, said that in the meeting, the West Bengal government’s representatives had complained about withdrawal of central armed forces from the erstwhile Maoist bastions without prior discussing with the state governments concerned.
“While the pressure will be from our side on the Union government for sufficient deployment of central forces in the Maoist zones, the state police will have their own teams dedicated to counter-Maoist operations,” he said.
The special training programme for the selected personnel will start soon. The training curriculum will include jungle surveillance and ambush techniques, unarmed combat methods and training without food and water for long hours.
Although there have been no Maoist activities in West Bengal recently, the police are worried about the resurgence of Maoist posters in the once Maoist stronghold of Junglemahal, scattered over the three districts of Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore.
The DGP, Manoj Malviya, has visited the Junglemahal area and reviewed the security arrangements there.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, at a meeting with bureaucrats and top police officers on April 27, had asked the police to resist any attempt of Maoist intrusion in the state from Jharkhand, besides directing the state police to seal the West Bengal-Jharkhand border at Belpahari.
She also accused the BJP leaders in West Bengal of maintaining a liaison with the left-wing extremists.
